Abraham got up early in the morning. He took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, placing it on her shoulder. He sent her away with the boy. She left and roamed aimlessly in the Beer-sheba desert.

Now swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my children, or with my grandchildren. Show to me and the land where you were an immigrant the same kindness that I have shown to you.'

Beer-sheba desert She may have begun heading toward Egypt from Beer-sheba where Abraham lived (see notes on Genesis 20:15, 16:7). This is the first mention of Beer-sheba in the Torah. It is some 25 miles east of Gerar, connected by a wadi. See Genesis 26:17.

seven female sheep In Hebrew, seven is sheva, having the same root as shevua, an oath. An oath thus obligates a person through everything that was made in the seven days of creation (Hirsch). It also obligates a person through the power of all the seven Noachide commandments (Midrash HaGadol). See note on Genesis 21:31.

tamariskEshel in Hebrew (see Ibn Janach; Radak, Sherashim). Also see 1 Samuel 22:6, 31:13. The Targum also renders it as a tree. The tamarisk is a wide tree of the Tamarix family, with small leaves like a cypress. Some identify it with the shittim wood used in the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:5; cf. Bereshith Rabbah 94; Tanchuma. Terumah 9). In the Talmud, however, the eshel is identified as an orchard or an inn for wayfarers (Sotah 10a; Rashi).

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